2 RAPIST UNCLES OF 10YEAROLD CHANDIGARH GIRL GET LIFE TERM

: A fast-track trial court in Chandigarh on Thursday sentenced two brothers for raping their 10-year-old niece, who gave birth to a child in August, to life in prison and imposed a fine of ~3,50,000 in the harrowing case that made headlines both in India and globally.

The girl was found to be 30-week pregnant when her mother took her to a hospital aftershecomplainedofastomach ache in July. Her parents approached a local court with a plea to abort the foetus but it dismissed their petition as the doctors said the procedure would be too risky for the girl.

Later,theSupremeCourtalso refused to allow an abortion for her on similar grounds.

Police arrested her mother’s cousin,whowasaguardatalocal hotel, for rape on the girl’s complaint. But the case turned on its headaftertheDNAsamplesofthe girl’s child — who was born on August 17 — didn’t match with those of the uncle, as first reportedbyHindustanTimeson September 11.

Seventeen days later, police arrested the man’s younger brother,whoturnedouttobethe main accused.

Thegirltoldthepolicethatshe was first raped by the younger uncle,acookwiththesamehotel ashisbrother,aroundChristmas in 2016. The older uncle, too, assaulted her repeatedly from April till early July, she said.

CHANDIGARH